


Turn the Bear Around

by TheShinySword



Series: Not a Gal, Not a Pal (Transdori Week 2020) [5]
Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Established Relationship, F/F, Future Fic, Misaki: Trying her best, Non-binary character, Transdori Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26649154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShinySword/pseuds/TheShinySword
Summary: No one warned Misaki that the most consistent friendship of her burgeoning adult life was going to be with her girlfriend’s best friend’s girl(?)friend. Can she can navigate their double date without Chisato calling for her assassination?
Relationships: Aoba Moca/Shirasagi Chisato, Matsubara Kanon/Okusawa Misaki
Series: Not a Gal, Not a Pal (Transdori Week 2020) [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933525
Comments: 5
Kudos: 52
Collections: Transdori Week 2020





	Turn the Bear Around

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 Transdori week! No Theme, we're too powerful for that now
> 
> Remember this is part of a series of interconnected one shots so if you like this one, check out the rest!
> 
> CW: misgendering

When she started dating Kanon three years ago after a long and tumultuous courtship (what Kaoru called Misaki plying Kanon with felt plushies until she Got A Clue), Misaki was under the impression that meant they would get to go to romantic spots together, to the museums and parks and planetariums and all the sorts of places Misaki rolled her eyes at until she had someone she wanted to take there. Six months in Misaki realized that meant she’d actually get to chaperon Kanon and Chisato to all of those places.

At first she’d thought it was some sort of intimidation tactic from Chisato, an attempt to tell Misaki to back off from Chisato’s precious Kanon but as time went on and as Chisato softened— _slightly—_ it became clear: Chisato wasn’t third wheeling Misaki’s date, Misaki was third wheeling hers.

Misaki really couldn’t fathom the relationship between Chisato and Kanon. Misaki had never had a best friend. It didn’t really bother her—she wasn’t hurting for friends these days—but it was an odd realization. Kokoro came close though she’d probably call Michelle her best friend which maybe half counted. Kaoru too but Kaoru was the sort of person who named her girlfriend as her best friend without a trace of irony. Kuro was too innocent to ever pick just one and Misaki wouldn’t count someone who considered her on par with his entire softball team and Rimi had a whole band she’d pick through before Misaki.

It really wasn’t that big of a deal. No matter how much she loved her friends she didn’t have anyone she wanted to see _all the time._ Except for a certain someone with the amazing ability to get lost walking in a straight line. Fortunately, Misaki was there to help her find her way. And so was Chisato. And so was Moca.

Like everyone, Misaki assumed Chisato was joking about dating Moca. When it became clear they were serious, Misaki hoped it would be the end of the best friend dates. Instead Miskai simply had more company. No one warned Misaki that the most consistent friendship of her burgeoning adult life was going to be with her girlfriend’s best friend’s girl(?)friend.

“Yo~ Misaki~ check me out~.” Moca made a face at Misaki through a globe shaped aquarium. She squished her cheeks together and puckered her lips, the distortion of the water making the face look almost normal. “Fishy~ Fishy~.”

No. Their features. Their cheeks. Their lips.

Misaki had to keep that in mind. Kanon briefed her before they met up with Chisato and Moca at the aquarium with a quick “Moca uses they/them pronouns now”. Misaki thought perhaps Kanon was over simplifying things for her benefit but now that she could see Moca… what had changed?

When Hagumi came out as Kuro the changes were instant. He buzzed his hair, changed his wardrobe, changed his name, drew on his own stubble with makeup like Kaoru showed him until his actual beard grew in, and basically just… transformed. But Moca was still Moca. Maybe that Hawaiian shirt was new? Misaki wasn’t good with fashion.

Misaki chuckled slightly at Moca’s face, which was enough to satisfy Moca’s need to amuse her. Misaki wanted to do right by Moca. They were friends no matter how odd the circumstances they were thrust together under. But if she was honest, her real motivation to get it right wasn’t Moca’s friendship or the goodness of her heart. It was… absolutely…

“Are you having fun?” Her voice hit Misaki’s ears like an ice cube dragged down her spine.

Misaki turned like a rusty faucet. “H-Hey Chisato.”

Chisato regarded Misaki as one regards the ground, always aware it’s there but not deeming it of enough interest to pay attention to. Misaki long accepted she would never worm her way into Chisato’s good graces, tolerance was as good as she was ever going to get from Kanon’s best friend. But… if Misaki made one mistake… such as misgendering her partner…

Moca grinned over the round fish tank with a quick wink sent to Misaki as a proxy for Chisato before ducking down to make more faces at their kinsman the clownfish. Chisato allowed herself a fond second of gazing before nodding curtly at Misaki and rejoining Kanon with the manta rays.

…Chisato would fucking kill Misaki.

Misaki wasn’t sure she believed Chisato would literally kill her but a metaphorical death was death enough. Besides, there was no need to find out just how far an actress’ contacts could go.

“Misaki!”

Misaki’s worries evaporated and a smile instantly began to form at the first syllable of her name called in that cheerful squeal. She turned to catch the bright gaze of the woman she loved. “Kanon?”

Kanon waved with Chisato by her side. “We’ll meet you and Moca in the next room!”

“Okay I’ll bring—” Misaki slammed her brain to a halt. What pronoun was on the tip of her tongue? A sudden vision filled Misaki’s mind’s eye: _Misaki scrambling through a dark room as three spotlights clunked on revealing three horrifying towering figures, Moca, Kanon and Chisato glaring down with looks of despair, anguish and disgust._

_Moca’s hand fell to their forehead as they swooned to the floor in pain. “I’m so devastated by your misgendering I might DIE.”_

_Kanon looked down with deep shame. “Misaki! How can you be so cruel and careless?”_

_Chisato coldly glared with her phone at her ear. “The assassin will be reaching your home at 5 PM, do not be late.”_

“—them.”

Close one. Misaki internally wiped her forehead and dragged Moca away from the clownfish and into the next room without incident. Their mixed up double date continued as easily as most of them did. Moca and Misaki followed four paces behind Kanon and Chisato, gazing longingly at their girlfriends. At least Misaki gazed, Moca interspersed their routine gazing with a read aloud of every placard along the wall with rude words inserted just loud enough that Chisato could hear them. Then sometimes they’d spot something cool and point it out to Misaki, sometimes they’d make a pun so awful Misaki wanted to cry but mostly they just chilled under the aquatic blue lights watching fish that thought the whole world existed inside invisible walls.

Nothing had really changed.

“Moca’s getting huuungry~” Moca groaned and rubbed their belly dramatically as they and Misaki watched a pair of hammerhead sharks circle around each other.

“What do you want me to do about it?” Misaki asked, her eyes transfixed on the sharks.

Moca leaned into Misaki’s vision with an exaggerated moan. “Feed me.”

“No thank you.” Misaki firmly pushed Moca away. Moca took it as elegantly as a blast to the chest, spinning off so dramatically a few children stopped to applaud the performance.

Moca collapsed to the floor with a hand on their head. “Moca will simply starve.”

Dealing with Moca was a little like dealing with one of her three dummies, except Moca knew exactly what they were doing. Still, Misaki’s nurturing instincts kicked in. “I think I saw a cafe back there?”

Moca jumped to their feet, “Great!”

With a sigh, Misaki caught up to the others and took their snack orders before following Moca—who mysteriously remembered exactly where to go—to a little booth with a crooked wooden sign reading “Shark Snack Stand”. Apparently sharks mostly loved popcorn and hotdogs.

After quickly putting in their girlfriends orders and ordering a single black coffee for herself, Misaki looked to Moca, squat in front of a stroller making the baby inside gurgle joyfully at their goofy expression. “Moca, what do you want?”

Moca turned with their eyes still crossed and their tongue lolling out, “Can I get a hotdog~ extra dog~?”

“Is that two hotdogs or…?”

Moca’s face snapped to normal with a sweep of their hand. “Just a little Moca joke~.”

Misaki rolled her eyes and turned to the cashier to put in Moca’s order. She paused, flashes of a horrible future once again rolling past her. “And—

 _“_ _Moca can’t take it anymore!”_

_“Misaki how could you!”_

_“_ _I’ve instructed the assassins to make it as painful as possible.”_

 _“_ _—_ they’ll have a hotdog,” Misaki said, hoping she hadn’t paused so long the cashier noticed.

The cashier, for his part, did not seem to care.

Misaki breathed easily. Fortunately, it turned out one did not actually constantly refer to their companions with pronouns and Misaki was sure she would soon be in the clear. She picked up their food and coaxed Moca back to their girlfriends with the promise of a mysterious meat tube in a bun.

Moca somehow swallowed it in one bite. Kanon and Chisato ate their snacks much more daintily while viewing a shrimp colony. Misaki wished she had ordered an extra large coffee.

As they wandered deeper into the aquarium, things began to change. The lights grew dimmer, the hand painted mural of various sea creatures gained a new, bulbous friend floating across the wall, and, most clearly of all, the signs hanging from the ceiling read clearly: Jellyfish Kingdom.

Misaki and Kanon’s excitement grew in unison. Kanon began to stand a little taller and walk on the balls of her feet with a little bounce while Misaki started to walk closer, unwilling to miss even a second of her girlfriend’s excitement. Misaki didn’t particularly get jellyfish, but she sure loved watching Kanon watch them.

Kanon darted off as soon as they entered the round room. She had an order in mind. Misaki knew from many visits to many different aquariums that Kanon liked to save her favorites for last. So she’d hang briefly with the box jellies glowing blue from the lights at the bottom of their tank. Then she’d scoot over to the cannonball jellyfish rolling around like, well, cannonballs and wave at the sea nettles and so on and so forth until she stopped in front of the most important cage of all: the moon jellies. There she’d stand and watch and contemplate the pulsing spheres with a shape like a four-leaf clover at their centers, lit up in purple from behind. The moon jellyfish were Kanon’s favorite. And that made them Misaki’s favorite too. If this was a kingdom then Kanon was the princess.

Chisato was just as happy as Misaki to linger in the room as long as Kanon pleased. Even though their feelings were different, at least they could find unity in this: Kanon deserved all the happiness in the world and if jellyfish gave her that, then jellyfish deserved all the happiness too. Or something like that.

But there was a fourth person in their group. At least there _was._

“Misaki,” Chisato glanced up and around the room, “have you seen Moca?”

Misaki tore herself away from Kanon. “I don’t know where—”

 _“_ _Goodbye cruel world!”_

_“I want a divorce!”_

_“I suppose I’ll kill you myself.”_

_“_ —they—”

 _“_ They are” or “they is”? Misaki’s inner grammarian flipped a table and walked out. Singular or plural, singular or plural? “Is” would be correct, wouldn’t it? But it sounded so completely stupid when Misaki said it in her head. The council of judgement returned at their most vicious.

_“Ha! Even Moca knows the right answer!”_

_“I can’t date someone with such bad grammar!”_

_“I’ve canceled the assassination out of pity.”_

_“_ —are.” Misaki finally finished, gulping so loudly it echoed in her head and hoping her sweat wasn’t staining her shirt.

Chisato didn’t flinch. Her focus shifted behind Misaki. “Oh, there she is.”

Misaki and Chisato froze in place.

… _She?_

Misaki thought maybe she’d misheard, but from the wince of guilt that flashed on Chisato’s face she knew she’d heard absolutely right. Chisato messed up and Misaki knew it. She couldn’t pretend her way out of it when her face contorted so painfully, like she’d been slapped by her own hand. There was something underneath all that that Misaki wasn’t really interested in exploring. That was their business.

“Don’t tell Moca.” Chisato requested—pleaded?—before turning away and rejoining Kanon.

Jeez. Did Chisato really think Misaki was that vengeful? She turned away from the moon jellyfish and saw Moca at the entrance, no indication they had heard a word Misaki and Chisato had said.

They waved, “’Ey Misaki. I’m gonna go to the bathroom.”

“I’ll come with you,” Misaki said quickly, eager for an excuse to escape the tension emanating from Chisato.

Moca shrugged, “Sure thing.”

Misaki naturally took over leading the way to the restroom, even though Moca was the one who wanted to go. Misaki wondered if she was just a natural leader, or if Moca was a natural follower. They were oddly suited for each other either way. They had far more similarities than differences. For one, Just as Misaki had been mistaken for a giant pink bear, Moca had been mistaken for a girl.

Misaki shook the thought from her head—it was probably stupid AND insensitive to think that.

They made their way through the chic aquarium, winding back through the sharks and manta rays, past the tropical fish and the swarms of anchovies whirling like rippling clouds until Misaki found a restroom adorned with the universal symbol for woman.

As she pushed in the door, Misaki realized her mistake. She whirled around to Moca, grabbing them by the shoulder and shaking them with all the strength years of non-consensual fursuiting had given her. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Please forgive me anddonttellChisato.”

Moca stuttered through the shakes, head rolling limply as Misaki’s panic rose. “Mo-o-o-ca has no-o-o idea why you’re apo-o-olo-o-ogizing?”

“Because this is the women’s restroom,” Misaki stopped shaking Moca so they could catch their breath, “and you’re a… a… they?”

Moca stared blankly for half a second, the gears in their head turning.Then their face broke out in a wide smile. “Ha! Yeah. That’s right.” They clapped Misaki on the shoulder. “But it’s alright if I use this bathroom. Moca’s not gonna burst into flames.”

“Are… you sure?”

“… well it hasn’t happened yet.” Moca tilted their head to the side, considering the possibility. They straightened up, eyeing Misaki’s hesitant expression. “…do you wanna go talk?”

Misaki really, really did.

* * *

Moca found a solitary bench to the side for them to sit down and talk on. It was shaped like an orca and Moca immediately straddled it as if they were going for a ride. Misaki paused then joined Moca, face to face on the back of the killer whale. Her hands gripped the ceramic dorsal fin as if it could buck her off at any moment.

Moca waited patiently. Misaki had never seen this side of them, calm and mature. Almost like an older sister. Older brother? That was Misaki’s problem wasn’t it, she had to reconfigure her brain and it just didn’t make sense and—

Everything burst out of Misaki at once: her confusion, her anxiety, her concern. Everything poured out except the thing she’d been asked not to say.

And when she finished, when she expected Moca to laugh, Moca just pat her on the knee and smiled. “Cool, I get that.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.” They shrugged and leaned in, smile widening to a grin. “It’s not like super simple, ya know.”  
Misaki squeezed her hands together and stared at the carbed spots on the orca-bench’s back.

“Moca’s not a man, and Moca’s not a woman. But Moca’s more a woman than a man.” Moca twirled their fingers around like a conductor. “Moca’s a woman and not a woman. Moca’s Moca. Easy right?”

Moca took Misaki’s silence for her answer. They laughed.

“I don’t have a neat explanation,” Moca rubbed the back of their head and scooted closer to Misaki on the Orca. “Can’t put that on a t-shirt.” They smiled wearily. “I think… being non-binary is just the kind of thing that just suits Moca better than anything else. And once I accepted that I don’t fit into the label of ‘woman’, everything became a little clearer. I’m still figuring out the details.”

And suddenly it clicked for Misaki. With great immeasurable embarrassment she said, “It’s like Michelle.”

Moca looked the most surprised Misaki had ever seen them.

She rushed to explain. “Like the Michelle suit only fits me, someone else could get in it but it wouldn’t work right. It’s mine and only mine.”

“Are you comparing my gender to your fursona?”

Misaki paled. “… Please don’t tell Chisato.”

Moca cackled happily, “Nah~ Nah~ I think you’re right. Non-binary is your Michelle. Like, it let’s me be more me.”

“Right, I was totally against it at first but… Michelle is a better version of me and she let’s me become that person… bear… person.”

“Moca is their own Michelle~ Heh.” Moca folded their hands behind their head. “Could print that on a t-shirt.”

“Technically,” Misaki offered, “you can print anything on a t-shirt.”

“Moca loooves Zazzle.”

Misaki watched Moca with a laugh and a smile. She slid up the orca.“Could I try it?”

“Hmm?” Moca’s eyebrows popped.

“They/Them.” Misaki wasn’t sure where the impulse came from but she was curious. Who would the Misaki who uses those pronouns be? “Could I try they/them pronouns?”

“Oh! Sure!” Moca leaned on their fist, smiling kindly, and a little cheekily, up at Misaki. “Misaki’s cool. They’re really smart, pretty fun to hang out with.” Moca winked, “I’m glad they’re my friend.”

Misaki smiled and looked down.There were the tips of their fingers tapering down to their hands. Their fists opened and closed and turned over so they could look at the backs of their hands. They breathed in. They breathed out. They were another self, a different Misaki for a different time. It was nice, but just a little too tight. It wasn’t quite the Misaki Misaki wanted to be.

“Thank you,” Misaki looked at Moca with new eyes. She smiled with warmth in her chest, “But I think I’ll stick with she/her.”

Moca’s face split with their grin, “Nothin’ wrong with that. I think it’s healthy for everyone to check what they like best. How else can you know~ you know~?”

“Yeah, I do now,” She leaned in over the Orca’s dorsal fin, as close to Moca as she dared. For the first time in as long as they’d been double dating, she felt like they were getting to know each other. Moca had changed, hadn’t they? They never would have talked to Misaki like this before. They were—

“Ooo you gonna kiss me?” Moca interrupted Misaki’s thoughts with a loud and disgusting lip SMACK.

Misaki jerked back with a glare. “What?”

“You just had that smoochin’ look.” Moca leaned back like they were riding a bull, “But sorry~ Moca’s all partnered up and Chisato doesn’t share~.”

Professional moment ruiner Moca Aoba.

Misaki rolled her eyes all the way around and stood up, offering her hand to her friend. “Let’s get back.”

Moca squirmed uncomfortably, “… um… Moca’s still gotta pee so…”

“H-hurry up!”

* * *

It was nice to go out but it was so much nicer to go home, Misaki thought as she nodded with the back and forth of the train car, bobbing her head in time with the wheels on the tracks. The moment after something exciting, with Kanon nestled on her shoulder talking animatedly about Chisato this and Chisato that and her feet aching just a comfortable amount as the sun set behind them, that was perfect. Tomorrow there’d be dummies to entertain, tomorrow there’d be a sweaty costume and songs to interpret out of doodles and dances, but right now it was just the two of them in the quiet of a Sunday train.

“You did good with Moca today,” Kanon said sleepily, yawning halfway through Moca’s name.

“Ah ha… I don’t think I deserve praise for getting someone’s pronouns right.”

Kanon giggled. “Probably not. I’m just… Chisato’s so protective of the people she loves and she was impressed.”

Misaki sighed, “One of these days she’s gonna find a way to get rid of me…”

“She wouldn’t!” Kanon protested.

“She might.”

“She wouldn’t. Chisato likes you!” Kanon relaxed. “She’s changed so much. I’m so glad they have each other.”

“Yeah,” Misaki thought of Moca on the bench, smiling with the patience of an elementary school teacher. “Me too.”

“And I’m glad I have you.”

Misaki kissed the top of Kanon’s forehead too full of affection to do anything but wrap her arm around her girlfriend and let Kanon nestle in for a relaxing train ride home feeling more Misaki than she had in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my friends [Demonladys](https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonladys/pseuds/demonladys) and [Silversilky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silversilky/pseuds/silversilky) for reading this through for me, make sure to check out their Transdori week content.
> 
> Shout out to Cosq for thinking up [Kuro Kitagawa](https://twitter.com/ImCosq/status/1308101188135550976?s=20), his full name is Croquette. 
> 
> Story named after the song Turn the Beat Around by Vicki Sue Robinson. I saw an opportunity... and I took it


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